Gaming terminals, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Thus, gaming manufacturers continuously strive to develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play and increased player loyalty through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
There are three primary types of wagering game machines: mechanical, electromechanical, and electronic. The original slot machine, for example, was entirely mechanical in construction, working on an elaborate configuration of springs, gears, shafts, brakes and levers. Since its introduction in the early 1960's, the electromechanical slot machine began replacing most, if not all, mechanical slot machines. Electromechanical gaming machines typically use one or more microprocessors to determine a random outcome for each play of the slot game, and electrical stepper motors to spin and stop a set of mechanical reels to reveal the outcome. The electronic gaming machine (EGM), in comparison, subsequently supplanted the mechanical reels of the electromechanical gaming machine with simulated mechanical reels generated by a video display device. In addition to slot-type wagering games, traditional table games, such as poker, blackjack, keno, and bingo, were adapted for use on EGM's.
Almost all gaming machines, whether mechanical, electromechanical or electronic, include a variety of visual attractions and displays to provide information, enhance game play, and improve the player's gaming experience. These visual attractions and displays typically include models, signs, artwork, fixed permanently-printed glass, video displays, and marquee assemblies. Many gaming machines are limited to a dedicated “primary” display and, in some instances, a top-box mounted “secondary” display or a top-box mounted marquee assembly. In most configurations, the gaming terminal's various video display devices are immovably mounted to the cabinet in a fixed location. Moreover, electronic video display devices have been limited to traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, plasma display panels, flat-screen transmissive LCD assemblies, and light emitting diode (LED) display panels, which are substantially flat, rigid and inflexible. These display assemblies offer limited interactive capabilities to players, normally being restricted to receiving inputs via an integrated touchscreen device. There may therefore be a need for more interactive gaming display devices that are not limited to these traditional types of display assemblies.